Amusement device.



PATENTED AUG.

H. J. WESTE-RMAN. AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 007:.19, 1906.

5. SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR. 4 /z/ WITNE55ES.

YHE uomus PETERS-00., WAsHuvcroN, n. c

No. 862,777. PATENTED AUG. 6., 1907.

. H'. J. WESTERMAN.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE. APPLIOATION FILED 00T.19. 1906.

- 5SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

THE'NDRRIS PETERS Cu., WASHINGTON, 0.1:.

No 862,777. Y PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907,. H. J. WESTERMAN.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLIUATION FILED 00T.19. 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES;

PATENTED AUG. 6, 19 07.

H- J. WESTERMAN.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE- v APPLIOATION FILED DOTJQ. 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES.

INVENTOR. W

PATENTED AUG. 6, 17907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

. INVENTOR. 2 2

H. J. WESTERMAN. AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 90119, 1906.

WITNEssEs.

xx m 76X) HARRY J. WESTERMAN, OF COLUMBUS,

OHIO.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 19,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that HARRY J. WESTERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in amusement devices, and has for its particular objects the construction of a water whirl, in which the figures of animals are mounted on movable trucks or platforms, and made to travel over a prescribed route; seats are arranged upon or within the said figures, for the accommodation of persons riding thereon; the track or roadway over which the figures move is located in a basin, or artificial body oi water; for spraying water along the line the figures are made to appear to on the surface of the water;

The result obtained by my improvements is to create the impression that a number of stately figures bearing human beings thereon are moving in procession over-the surface of a basin filled with water, which illusion is produced and heightened by the concealing of all the actuating devices.

I attain the results above noted by the construction shown in the drawings attached hereto and made a part hereof, in which Figure l is a plan view of the water whirl; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the device, showing the means for supplying water, the control of the electric current, and the application of the same to the motors; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the track with trucks thereon,upon which is mounts ed the moving structure; Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudi-i nal section through one of the animal figures, showing means of mounting and actuating the same; Fig, 5 is a vertical transverse section through one of the trucks, showing the mounting and actuating of the same.

The drawings show what I regard as a preferable embodiment of my improvements, and referring thereto, 1 is the basin for containingthe water, having, as shown, the wall 2;- the water is supplied to the basin from an exterior source through the pipes 3, 3,, which are brought through the basin wall, and con= means are provided of travel, whereby be moving directly duct the water into the system Oi Dipcs shown at 4, 1,.

and 5, o, The latter are provided with openings at suitable intervals, 6, 6, and 7, '7, whence the water issues in fountain-like streams and falls into the basin.

The track bed or roadway is seen at 8 in Fig, 2, built up preferably of cement and having laid thereon the parallel rails l3, l3, upon which the trucks 10, 10 are adapted to move. On each side of the track is continuously arranged a pipe 11, 11, having at fre- Patented Aug. 6, 1907. 1906. Serial No- 339,632.

quent intervals openings in the top thereof; the water issuing from these openings forms a spray which rises above the rails 13 and the trucks up to the sides of the animal figures, and from the view point of the observer all mechanical and structural features are hidden and the figures appear to be moving of their own effort upon the surface of the water.

The waste and overflow from the basin are conducted off through the pipes 14 and 15 which empty into the pipe 16; the supply of water to the basin and the discharge therefrom is so regulated that the quantity in the basin is practically invariable.

The tracks upon which the figures are mounted are laid upon a cement foundation 8, the ties 17 are laid thereon, and the rails 13 are secured thereto in a well known manner. The trucks 10 are mounted upon the rails and comprise the wheels 18 connected by the axle 19; the axle ends 20, 21, extend beyond the wheels, as appears most clearly in Fig. 5; mounted upon these axle ends is a continuous framework comprising the side rails 22 and 23, joined at intervals by the cross bars 24, and suspended from the axle ends in the following manner:-The boxing 25 surrounds the axle end, and the latter preferably turns freely therein; bolts 26' are passed through the boxing dow wardly, and to the lower end is secured the plate 27, so that between the under face of the boxing and the plate the side rail may be inserted and securely supported in this manner there is pivoted a platform or framework that is continuous around the circle or curved trackway and being mounted upon the trucks, it moves rigidly when the latter are actuated.

The entire movable framework is actuated in the manner following: preferably two motors, 28 and 29 are provided, and mounted upon the movable framework on opposite sides of the circular trackway, as shown in Fig. 1, the motors and their operative connections with the trucks being shown more in detail in Figs. 3, l, and 5. The motor 28 (Fig. 3) is mounted on the platform adjacent the truck, and its shaft 29 carries a pinion 30, meshing with the gear 3,1 mounted on the shaft 32, carrying the pinion 33, which actuates the sprocket chain 3,4, which in turn drives the gear on the axle 19. The power is, therefore, applied at opposite points in. the circular trackway, an d from these motors the entire circular framework mounted upon the trucks at convenient intervals, is given a rotary motion, whereby the figures are moved along the curve and appear to be swimming gracefully upon the water.

The current is supplied to the motors through the controller shown conventionally at 36 by the wire 37, beneath the basin, which is led up through the hollow staff 38 to a metallic swivel 39, mounted thereon to rotate freely; wires 40, 40, leading from said swivel conduct the current to the motors, and ground connection thence through the trucks is made in a well known manner.

The figures on each are placed in pairs abreast, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and between them is placed the seat 41, shown in Figs. 4 and 5; for convenience in mounting the seats a platform indicated at 42, 43, 44, and 45, is provided, and divided by the partition 46, for the purpose of directing the patrons of the device, when mounting, to one side thereof, and when dismounting, to the other side, and it thereby renders the handling of a crowd of persons more easy. In motion, therefore, the passenger rides between two parallel series of fountains, and the entire operative and substructural mechanism is concealed by the two parallel lines of spray, which seem to issue from beneath the sides of the moving figures.

Referring especially to Fig. 5, it will be noted that the sides of the figures 47 and 48 curve outwardly beyond the outer rail of the movable platform and the spray pipes, and are provided with curved extensions, 49 and 50, on their lower edges, which project inwardly between the frame work and the spray pipes, and effectually conceal the operative mechanism.

The rear of one pair of figures is in juxtaposition to the front of the adjacent pair, which arrangement serves to make the concealment of the movable platform still more complete.

The foregoing is a description of a preferable embodiment of my improved water whirl, but I do not desire to be limited to the specific construction shown, as it is obvious that modifications may be made and the same purpose be accomplished in substantially the same manner.

From the description herein it will be clear that I provide an amusement device embodying the following chief characteristics:l. A water basin having a plurality of fountains therein, preferably arranged in parallel lines; 2. A platform movablerotatably in a horizontal plane, mounted on trucks, actuated by motors suitably disposed; 3. Animal figures provided with seats and mounted on the trucks, and arranged to conceal all operative and structural mechanism; 4. Means for producing a spray on each side of the movable platform and figures thereby producing the impression of an animal bearing human beings and swimming gracefully about the basin. 5. In short, the employment of means to produce an illusory effect, whereby a mechanically actuated structure appears to be moving smoothly by the efforts solely of the visible figures upon the surface of the water.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by' Letters Patent is:

1. An amusement device comprising a basin containing water, a road bed disposed therein having its upper surface out of the water, a track disposed upon said upper surface, a platform mounted upon said track, means for causing said platform to rotate, and means for concealing said track and actuating means.

2. An amusement device comprising a basin containing water, a road bed constructed therein and having its upper surface out of the water, a track upon said road bed, a platform mounted upon said track, means for causing said platform to rotate, figures mounted on said platform and arranged thereon to conceal said actuating means, and means for concealing said platform and track.

3. An amusement device comprising a basin containing water, a track disposed in said basin and surrounded by water. a movable platform mounted upon said track, figures upon said platform, and means for creating a spray adjacent the sides of said figures whereby they are made to appear to rest and move upon the surface of said water.

4. An amusement device comprising a basin containing water, a track disposed in said basin and surrounded by water, a platform movably mounted upon said track, figures disposed upon said platform, a perforated pipe outside of said platform and adjacent said track, and means for supplying water to said pipe for producing a spray, whereby the illusion of swimming 'gures is created.

5. An amusement device comprising a basin containing water, a track disposed in said basin and surrounded by water, a plurality of trucks arranged upon said track, a platform mounted upon said trucks and adapted to move therewith, figures disposed upon said platform and constructed to conceal said trucks, and means for producing a spray continuously along the line of said track, whereby said figures are caused to appear to be swimming upon the surface of the water in said basin.

it. An amusement device comprising a basing containing water, a track disposed in said basin, and surrounded by water, a plurality of trucks arranged upon said track, a platform mounted upon said trucks and adapted to move therewith, means for actuating said trucks, figures dis posed upon said platform, and concealing said trucks from above, extensions upon the sides of said figures concealing said trucks from the sides thereof, means for producing a spray continuously along the line of said track whereby said platform between said figures, and the lower extremities of said figures are concealed by water and the illusion of swimming figures is produced.

7. An amusement device comprising a basin, a track disposed therein and surrounded by water, a movable platform mounted upon said track, figures upon said platform, seats for passengers arranged in said figures, and means for producing a spray adjacent the sides of said figures whereby they are made to appear to rest and move upon the surface of said water.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the pres ence of two witnesses,

HARRY J. WESTERMAN.

Witnesses J. M. Donn-N, L. S. KNIGHT. 

